, 1887-07-13
TELLER TESTIfIES
Before the Pacific Railway
Commission.
He Objects to the Government
Running a Railroad.
The Charter of the Fidelity
Bank Forfeited.
The PACIFIC Commission.

DENVER, July IL The Pacific railway
investigating commission heard a number
of witnesses here to day, including United
States Senator Henry NJ. Teller. ex-Goy-
ernor John Evans, Edward Eddy, general
manager of the Omaha and Grant Smelt.
ing and Refining company; w. A. H.
LOveland, a former director of the Union
Pacific, and Charles Wheeler, formerly
auditor of the Denver & South Park rail
road.
Edward Eddy testified as to rebates re-
ceived from the Union Pacific company
and produced a contract of the Grant
Smelling company with the Union Pacific,
dated July, 1882, to run for twenty FIVE
years, in which contract the railroad com
pany agreed to do all necessary switching
and put up all necessary sidetracks for the
smelling company free of charge, in re-
turn for which the smelling company
agreed to send one half its shipments over
the Union Pacific road. The witness said
he considered this agreement still in force
Notwithstanding the interstate commerce
law.
Charles Wheeler and ex Governor
Evans testified as to the transfer of the
control of the Denver & South Park rail-
road to Jay Gould and the Union Pacific.
Mr.. Loveland testified that.Ja Gould
and Sidney Dillon had once suggested to
him hat he should run for governor of
Colorado. He denied that they had sug
gested he should run for the United
States senate.
United States Senator Henry NJ. Teller
was then sworn. In reply to questions by
Commissioner Littler he testified that he
did not believe there was a word of truth
in the statement made before this commits
sion yesterday to the effect that moneyed
combination was formed by the railroads
during the last senatorial contest in Col
orado. He did not believe that any rail
road company had put up a dollar for the
purpose OF electlng any senator. certainly
not a dollar to help the candidate who be
came successful (meaning himseli). If
the Union Pacific eXerted any influence.
which the senator would not say it did, it
would be an influence against him, as he
had been known to favor the state super
vision of railroads. He expressed HIM
self as quite willing that this commission
should examine extensively into the
question of his election. His whole ex-
penditure for the senatorial contest CON
sisted OF $500 contributed to the Republi-
can committee of his own county, which
"ho 100 Nlhh lC "a NbllllbulGu "htIl
not a candidate for office, and his hotel
bill at Denver was $26l.
In reply to questions by Governor Pat
tison he testified that the firm of which
he had been a member until 1882, which
consisted of his brother, himself and
another lawyer, had been attorneys for
the Union Pacific company, part of the
time on a salary of IS, 900 or $4,000 a
year, but since that time he had had no
connection whatever with the firm nor
with the railroad. In reply to questions
by Commissioner Anderson, he said he
did not believe the United States govern
ment itself should attempt to run a rail
road. He saw no warrant in the consti-
tuition for the assumption OF such a func-
ton by the government. He thought it
would be better for the government to
specify a fixed annual sum which it would
or might require the Union Pacific to pay
rather than a percentage of net earnings,
as the latter plan led to disputes as to
what the net earnings really were.